Final Thoughts Over Japan and South Korea - Rachel Parrish - Center for International Business Studies Blog

Looking back on my trip, I’m amazed at how much we did and learned. From discussing Japanese business culture to cruising on Seoul Korea’s Han River, I experienced so many different aspects of both Japanese and Korean culture. Something that especially stood out to me was how different both countries were. While they were similar in some aspects, both seemed to have intense work cultures and respect for hierarchical differences, Korea reminded me a lot more of America than Japan did. Koreans spoke English much more competently than most Japanese people we interacted with and they seemed to be more opinionated and louder. Hearing car horns in Korea was a shock after the almost too peaceful streets of Japan.

Another thing that stood out to me was Japan’s aversion to change compared to Korea. During a presentation about Japan’s tech start-up hub, our speaker discussed how Korean businesses embraced and encouraged innovation. Conversely, during a presentation about Japanese business culture, we learned that Japanese people were very resistant to change, especially the quick change that comes with rapid innovation. Before this trip, I would have been surprised if somebody told me that Korea was more innovative than Japan. However, this difference is apparent, even in the mundane parts of our trip. In Japan, we couldn’t ask for many changes to our tour schedule, and even things like splitting the bill at restaurants was impossible outside of everyone carrying cash. We did not have these issues in Korea, though Korea seems to have innovated itself out of having a working Google Maps.

Finally, the last real surprise I had between the two countries was how much louder and more opinionated everybody in Korea was! Korean vendors did not hesitate to tell you you were doing something wrong. School children didn’t hesitate to yell out “Hello” and “How are you?” to us as we walked by. In a Taekwondo lesson, our Korean teacher teased me about my poor form, something that would likely have been done a lot more gently in Japan.

Overall, this trip to Japan and South Korea has opened my eyes to new cultures and to embracing different ways of life. While seeing beautiful cities and epic views of nature, Japan taught me about prim modesty and quiet manners. Korea showed how a country, so wrought with a history of occupation, can work hard to overcome its previous poverty and struggles. Truly, this has been the trip of a lifetime!